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HUD is launching a national study on discrimination in the sale or rental of housing against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) community. Sexual orientation and gender identity is not currently protected under federal fair housing law, but HUD is exploring a rule to broaden the definition of “family” to recognize LGBT families.

HUD, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) are working together to coordinate federal policies, programs, and resources to help urban, suburban, and rural areas build more sustainable communities. The partnership is focused on ensuring that housing and transportation goals are met while simultaneously protecting the environment, promoting equitable development, and helping to address the challenges of climate change.

HUD announced that it has awarded the first Recovery Act Green Retrofit Grant for Multifamily Housing to Jonathan Rose Companies, a New York-based property with almost 200 units.

Use of the Enterprise Verification (EIV) system became mandatory on January 31. Earlier this year, HUD also issued Notice H 2012-02, which informs owners and managers of Section 8 and HUD-assisted sites of the distribution requirements of its EIV and You brochure.

In a recent HUD case, a single mom was denied housing for having too many children.

HUD has announced a series of proposals to ensure that its core housing programs are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Although there are no national assessments of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) housing discrimination, there are state and local studies that have shown this sort of bias. For example, Michigan's Fair Housing Centers recently found that nearly 30 percent of same-sex couples were treated differently when attempting to buy or rent a home.

HUD is strongly encouraging owners and managers of HUD-subsidized housing sites to take a zero-tolerance approach to ensuring that lifetime sex offenders are prevented from receiving federal housing assistance. The Notice, issued on Sept. 9, 2009, reiterates the current regulatory requirements whereby site owners and managers must perform necessary criminal history background checks to determine whether an applicant, or a member of the applicant's household, is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.

HUD charged a Wichita Falls, Texas, landlord with violating the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by publishing advertisements that discriminate against families with children. HUD alleges that the landlord posted a classified ad in a local real estate paper that read: “No drugs, no pets, no children.”

HUD has issued a new tool for site and leasing management to use in training staff who conduct tenant interviews. A Guide to Interviewing for Owners of HUD-Subsidized Multifamily Projects offers useful tips for the interview process, such as using the C.A.V.E. methodology to remember the important purposes of an interview:

• Collection of information;

• Analysis of the information to determine verification requirements and to resolve discrepancies;

• Verification of information; and